flying

Why not try the dealers themselves such as Nihom/ Saha Panich Toyota? Both have a good selection of serviced 2nd-hand/reclaimed bikes......

.In the end, you may decide it's false economy to go 2nd-hand, and best to purchase new. Caveat emptor...

I looked at 2nd hand a bit but prices for what you got was not much less than new. ( apples to apples compare I mean )

Yes of course a much older bike did show a discount but in the end I did buy new from Niyom Panich Chiang Mai

They actually have slightly better prices ( for cash ) on the new bikes than any major Honda dealers I went to + they have stock.

I have the book & wondered how folks like the Android app

If it is as good as the book + easy search function

on a tablet might be a nice app to have.

Any feedback from those using it appreciated

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wordinthehand.thaidict&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS53b3JkaW50aGVoYW5kLnRoYWlkaWN0Il0.

Thanks for that info TP

Yes Dave & Ian were very helpful on the forum.

As long as the Be-1st card can also be used for POS purchases online

that will be fine with me. I never carry a balance on any credit card anyway.

Thanks

Is the Bangkok Bank Be 1st card a credit card?

Or a semi charge card? I think I have read folks use it for online

purchases but the purchase is then deducted from savings.

It does say Visa on it but I have only ever used it as a debit card.

Wondering because when I use it the clerks sometimes ask me if I want to charge or debit.

Not really important as I have Capital One Credit Cards that do not charge a Foreign Transaction fee.

Although I only use them to book airlines.....

Looks like a lot of blood under the bridge here. I came to this topic to perhaps see what gold where gold was going. Looks like a buy, no wait...sell? Any consensus? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?

Well at the moment it is on a little tear...up $45/oz in the US

Familiar?

I think the OP means like this though

There are always some in the classified bike section

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/148-bikes-for-sale-in-thailand/

Also Baht & Sold set to Chiang Mai & Motorcycles

http://www.bahtsold.com/en/quicksearch?co=Thailand-1&c=1010&ca=9&pr=NULL&submit=

Lastly they have some kind of auction monthly ( I think ) in the back of Big C Extra ( formerly Carrefour)

I actually know of a women that put the wrong type of fuel in her vehicle. It shocks me that her and the filling station did not know the difference between diesel and benzine/gasoline.

I never noticed here but...In the States a diesel hose will not fit in a benzine/gas tank opening

Or what that the other way around?

You would never be accepted here (apart from people that know you) because of you physical appearance,

Going about my daily activities I see people in my community, they look back and just see a foreigner, an outsider not always in a nasty way but just different and not belonging.

I have found this to be pretty much true where ever I am in the world.

A stranger is an outsider in any *community*

As you said they do not look in a nasty way but do take notice of something being out of place.

Also as you say...."Apart for the folks you know" you are not openly accepted

Same as anywhere really....for me anyway

I usually have a small circle of folks I trust & that is because I know them.

I know they feel the same about me.

I guess as others have said..to some degree a immigrant is always an immigrant

but it has not really bothered me because aside from the folks within my circle I do not worry about

the others.

3 months ago my heart stopped, 1669 called, Ambulance ride to hospital. restarting my heart,

Amazing story & glad you survived

Watching how long it takes a ambulance to move through cars here I always wonder.

Your right though medical is still a good/fair value here

When a Thai is with a farang, most service providers expect the Thai companion to translate what the alien might want.

My wife sometimes likes to have fun with this in non-important situations.

She does not look very "Thai" & is often asked where she is from.

So at times when the service provider defers to her she will say sorry I do not understand Thai

Please ask my husband

Although it works the other way too when her *Thainess* is wounded by folks asking her where she is from

she always states clearly in Thai....Deechun Bpen Kon Thai !!

The funniest was once I was at a Uni signing up for classes & they gave her an application to fill out too

Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

I arege taht is azamnig

if it is useful and beneficial to the country.

Therein lies the rub......

As to the OP we were at the mall yesterday & they still gave tickets.

No tickets given at Airport Plaza today (11am)

I notice the motorbike section still has someone on the entrance.

Ah that could be it as I did go on the bike....

I have never in my entire life pumped gas...lol. Never.

Did screw the cap back on my bike once.

My wife was the same till she moved to the US

I had to teach her that in the US it is a get it your dang self service type of deal

Now we live here & I must say I do like the pit stop atmosphere at the pumps...lol

At times they even give free large bottles of water

As to the OP we were at the mall yesterday & they still gave tickets.

In this thread I have wondered about the OP's definition of "Integrate"

If it is as I thought......

"Bring into equal participation in; give equal consideration to"

Then I would think many do in fact Integrate

But reading the replies it seems many assume "Integrate" to be

all or nothing.....Become a Thai citizen etc....Give up previous Nationality,culture etc.

Just curious but OP what is your definition?

Thanks

I do not know of a SMS service but have found this site to be quick, easy & updated quickly throughout the day

http://bankexchanger...et/default.aspx

Then they will tell you how bad you are spending all that money and you should be ashamed of the way you spend "YOUR" money.

If somone is happy living in a hovel and spending THB 20,000 a month...good for you....but please dont start judging other people because they are spending more money in a month, than you send in year..everyone to their own..

I agree to each their own but....having read many comments here I would say the judgmental knife you describe cuts both ways

After all by your own words above you have judged someone spending 20k a month as living in a hovel

I am starting to fear that Thai banks will stop wanting to do business with Americans as these reporting by foreign banks rules kick in.

When they say they got 33,000 disclosures, what do they mean exactly?

Surely they don't mean just getting 33,000 FBAR forms, or do they?

This is ultimately something that I think is a possibility...Meaning not accepting US account holders.

Then again the only banks that have something to lose to the US arm twisting are those that have a US counterpart like BKB NY

So in that regard perhaps they would not refuse because at that point what use is their US investment?

Those that have nothing to lose may be a bit more ambivalent to the regs anyway. As long as some US citizens

find a way to bring $$$$ to their bank they will accept it & ignore reporting requirements as the regs do not come from

anyone they *need* to answer to...As they have no US counterpart to be threatened with closing

I guess they could be threatened with removal of VISA/Mastercard?...Not sure

As to the possibility of 35,000 I would guess at least that many. Otherwise how did they get

the $4.4 Billion

For boring, is it a lot of work you think?

Boring is not a lot of work at all.

I have had many bikes bored in the US

But I was racing then & mainly on 2 strokes

I will say this....DO not expect a giant improvement with bore increase alone.

With a 4 stroke it all has to work together

Yes there is no replacement for displacement but still...with a 4 stroke

you will want to make it all work as a whole.

Anyway I did see one Thailand boring service

Good Luck

Sarayuth Machine Works Co.,Ltd.

... Product/Service: Motorcycle, Machinery, Boring, Horning, Sprocket, Chain, Cylinder Employees: 51 - 100 People Main markets: North America South America Eastern Europe Southeast Asia Af Contact Person: Mr. Sarayuth Wichicharaskul Zip Code: 71120 Telephone: 66-32-371020 Fax: 66-32-371022 Address:...

Telephone: 66-32-371020Address: 53 / 3 M. 16, Thapha, Banpong, Ratchaburi, Thailand

PS: You might also try calling these guys & asking if any other shops in Thailand have bought their boring & Honing machines

Dont forget they need to hone after boring afaik/remember...unless things have changed

http://www.alibaba.c...nt/aboutus.html

Well, I hope you admit that invested paper often generated less papers than was invested, many people have lost a lot, especially in recent years. And using the temporary hike in price in 1980 (which everyone knows was a bubble) for starting the maths is not fair either. If someone buys in a bubble, it is hard to make profit. I do not buy gold now, too, but if it falls substantially, which I doubt, I would buy more.

whatever you said about "less generated paper" applies to gold too.

I think most in this thread from the start knows I was/am quite bullish on gold & happy I loaded up on both AG & AU in 2008

But I will say this...........During that shock & Awe crisis time when folks were scurrying for shelter I also bought out of disgust

with the system & what they had achieved with their greed in the way of pain for decades to come in regards to the ordinary working man.

So it was also a freak flag play for me.....If you remember that song

Anyway at the time I did almost go the other way via Ford (F)

My thinking was & in hindsight correct that there was a major over correction there in their stock price.

Folks were freaking out mainly because GM now known as Government Motors looked like a Lehman Brothers

In the same way the correction to banking took others way down GM took Ford

Ford was trading at $2 + change at that time

I looked & looked...rubbed my eyes & looked again.

In the end I went Gold mainly because of the disgust but..............

Had I invested the same in Ford?

Don't get me wrong gold....& Silver did very well for me

But that Ford will always be in the back of my mind as a woulda,coulda,shoulda

It's foolish to focus on buying health insurance that povides coverage only in Thailand. I suspect that bad advice came out of a forum. This is only the 3rd time I've ever seen this request and all 3 this week.

If you are looking for Thai-based insurance, you should be focusing on coverage and cost, that's all. Quality of the local insurer is only a matter of opinion. If you have problems with the insurer, you can always turn the OIC (Office of Insurance Commission). But, don't be like the expats that caused you to lose Bupa Crystal as an option.

Also, In-patient coverage is included with all health insurance plans. It is outpatient coverage that is always optional.

Thanks that is interesting as to the possible demise of the Crystal plan

For myself I am based now in Thailand & notice almost all of their *worldwide* plans exclude the USA where I am from.

Also I do not need it there as I have it already

Which is why my main quest has been in-patient only Thailand.

Not a big deal & I think I will probably go with BUPA's New Personal Care Plan

Seems ok for what I want...decent in-patient care & also a major medical rider where they pay 80% above the

basic in-patient benefits...excluding room,board & nursing....which seems adequate already in their plan.

After much reading I am settling on BUPA also because they seem to be the most widely recognized here.

6. Will someone who applies but is found not to meet the criteria be reported as illegal and subject to repatriation or deportation?

If the answer to number 6 is 'yes', then you can watch that 800,000 figure drop to about 1,000 rather quickly!

Yes that is also something I wonder...again due to costs.

When applying for my wifes first green card I had to show proof I was X% above a certain income level or above poverty line so the

immigrant would pose no load on the US system.

Who speaks for/sponsors these folks?

Secondly while still in a suspended state how are these folks allowed to work jobs that would otherwise go to legal immigrants & citizens? I mean they are not even at legal green card *temp* status at this point. Yet they can take jobs?

At a time when unemployment is raging in the US?

I just do not see how these folks can meet the criteria as laid out in todays laws.

How far will these laws be bent to allow this?

It all sounds somewhat unfair to those who were made to follow the law & those that sponsored them etc.

Lastly unfair to American citizens & legal immigrants job wise if they are allowed to work.

Yes I know & wonder also....but cyclist by definition do judge by turn dates & cycles.

So....& I am in no way sure....perhaps the 60/1 is the line or cycle turn point?

No idea & as always as I said read his projections out of curiosity.

but most bicycles have three turning points. which one applies?

email sent

regarding the Takegawa high compression piston, chekc this out: http://j-mart.biz/j-...oducts_id=16392

You need these

• Cylinder boring is required when stock cylinder is used
  
• Use together with FI CON2 (SP Takegawa 05-04-0005) is required
  

So, it means lot of job inside the engine and you need to use only their fuel controller?I am sure other brands should be fine.

So, it costs around 10.500 thb for piston, 5000 for API TECH fuel cont. plus boring the cylinder and engine job. So, i assume, it costs around 20,000 to 25,000 thb to go for it.

It is costly man but the most important here is finding a competent enough mechanic to do it without screwing your engine and wallet.

Does it worth to blow one third one fourth of the bike price to piston swap?

Does anyone can recommend a good mechanic to undertake this kind of job?

regarding APi Tech, i could not go to their shop this weekend as busy with work. I will check them next weekend for sure and will inform you guys about the result.

Thanks.

In the US the boring would be done at a machine shop not a mechanic per se'

I do not know if they have the equivalent of a machine shop here?

Once bored you retrieve the cylinder & assemble or have a mechanic assemble if you like